Comics Reviews: Batman 396, Detective 563, Adventures of the Outsiders 34, Outsiders 8

Batman 396 coverBatman #396 – “Box-Office Smash” – Doug Moench/Tom Mandrake

Last issue, a failed actor named But Weston re-invented himself as the Film Freak, staging crimes based on old movies. Batman and Catwoman got on his trail but always seemed to be one step behind. Robin and Harvey Bullock (who’s quite the cinephile himself) are working the case separately, since Robin wants to prove he’s a better partner than Catwoman. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 396, Detective 563, Adventures of the Outsiders 34, Outsiders 8”

Comics Reviews: Green Lantern 200, Firestorm 47, Vigilante 29, Warlord 105

Green Lantern 200 coverGreen Lantern #200 – “Five Billion Years” – Steve Englehart/Joe Staton/Bruce Patterson

This one starts on Oa with the Guardians of the Universe preparing to give up their responsibilities as galactic protectors and move on. Sinestro tries to talk to one of the Guardians, but he warns the villain to consider repentance instead off interfering with matters beyond him. The other Guardians give us a helpful review of what happened last issue with the three Green Lanterns of Earth: John Stewart (and Katma Tui) are returning to Oa with the former Guardian Appa Ali Apsa (or Old timer, as he used to be called); Hal Jordan and some other Lanterns are coming back after defeating Goldface and his alien pal; and Guy Gardner has gone to offer his services to Star Sapphire on Zamaron. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Green Lantern 200, Firestorm 47, Vigilante 29, Warlord 105”

Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 22, New Teen Titans 20, All-Star Squadron 57, Infinity Inc. 26

Legion of Super-Heroes 22 coverLegion of Super-Heroes #22 – “Dead End” – Paul Levitz/Greg LaRocque/Mike DeCarlo

This one starts with Universo hypnotizing some guy to go out and cause mayhem. After his new pawn leaves, a Science Police officer almost catches Universo lurking around, but Universo mesmerizes him too and we see that Universo has been masquerading as Vid-Gupta, the aide to Earth President Desai (and maybe Desai’s brother too, I can’t remember). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 22, New Teen Titans 20, All-Star Squadron 57, Infinity Inc. 26”

Comics Reviews: Superman 419, Action 579, DC Comics Presents 93, JLA 250

Superman 419 coverSuperman #419 – “The Man Who Murdered Evil” – Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This story gets into some metaphysical ideas about good and evil. It’s narrated by a guy called Iago, who serves some greater master of evil (who isn’t shown, but from the hints it looks like Satan). Iago was once a human named Arnie Alpert, a very nice person who went out of his way to help people and was kind and charitable to everyone. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 419, Action 579, DC Comics Presents 93, JLA 250”

Comics Reviews: Batman 395, Detective 562, Adventures of the Outsiders 33, Outsiders 7

Batman 395 coverBatman #395 – “The Film Freak” – Doug Moench/Tom Mandrake

This one starts with a burglar robbing various places in Gotham, setting off the alarms so the cops will chase him down. He seems to be working off some kind of script, trying to set up a scenario where he’s cornered by the cops and has to shoot his way out. At police headquarters, Batman responds to the Bat-Signal only to find Catwoman waiting for him. After their strange night on the town last issue, she wants to talk about their relationship. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 395, Detective 562, Adventures of the Outsiders 33, Outsiders 7”

Green Lantern 199, Firestorm 46, Vigilante 28, Warlord 104

Green Lantern 199 coverGreen Lantern #199 – “Ignition” – Steve Englehart/Joe Staton/Mark Farmer, Bob Smith

This one starts on Oa, with the Guardians and Green Lantern Corps officially welcoming Hal Jordan back as a Lantern. (Hal got his ring back from John Stewart when John received Tomar-Re’s ring upon Tomar’s death last issue.) We learn that 912 Lanterns died in the Crisis (out of 3600) and fourteen of the thirty-six Guardians also perished. The remaining Guardians are rather subdued, but tell the Lanterns they have specific tasks for them to accomplish. Continue reading “Green Lantern 199, Firestorm 46, Vigilante 28, Warlord 104”

Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 21, New Teen Titans 19, All-Star Squadron 56, Infinity Inc. 25

Legion of Super-Heroes 21 coverLegion of Super-Heroes #21 – “Obsession” – Paul Levitz/Greg LaRocque/Larry Mahlstedt, Mike DeCarlo

This one starts with Brainiac 5 and Element Lad having a secret meeting in the transport tubes that pass right through the Earth. Brainy is worried about Sensor Girl and thinks her reluctance to reveal her true identity could be dangerous. Element Lad disagrees and has decided to trust Sensor Girl, since Saturn Girl vouched for her. Brainy still isn’t convinced, but can’t change Element Lad’s mind. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 21, New Teen Titans 19, All-Star Squadron 56, Infinity Inc. 25”

Comics Reviews: Superman 418, Action 578, DC Comics Presents 92, JLA 249

Superman 418 coverSuperman #418 – “The Replacement” – Cary Bates/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with Superman being shanghaied into space by some aliens. But these aliens aren’t attacking him, they need his help. A strange entity has attacked their planet, consuming its atmosphere, and they need Superman to stop it. Since he knows their race to be a peaceful one, he agrees and they beam him to their planet. The aliens decide they’d better leave a replacement on Earth to do Superman’s job while he’s away (although they don’t tell Superman that). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 418, Action 578, DC Comics Presents 92, JLA 249”

Comics Reviews: Batman 394, Detective 561, Batman & the Outsiders 32, Outsiders 6

Batman 394 coverBatman #394 – “At the Heart of Stone” – Doug Moench/Paul Gulacy

This one starts with Batman having a nightmare of getting beheaded by an animated statue. Last issue, a former KGB agent gone rogue (Dark Rider) stole some plutonium and hid it inside a bronze statue of a Cossack horseman. Dark Rider eluded capture in Europe and is now heading for Gotham with the plutonium. Obviously that’s weighing on Batman’s mind. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 394, Detective 561, Batman & the Outsiders 32, Outsiders 6”

Comics Reviews: Green Lantern 198, Firestorm 45, Vigilante 27, Warlord 103

Green Lantern 198 coverGreen Lantern #198 – “1” – Steve Englehart/Joe Staton/Bruce Patterson

Last issue, Hal Jordan got a new ring from a Guardian and was told to help Guy Gardner and his band of villains in their mission to destroy the moon of Qward. Right after Guy and company left, Sinestro showed up to tell John Stewart and Katma Tui that they had to stop Guy’s mission. Sinestro explains that Qward is the twin of Oa in the anti-matter universe and its moon is the birthplace of the Anti-Monitor, just as Oa’s moon spawned the Monitor. Sinestro says if the moon is destroyed it’ll break the symmetry between the positive and negative matter universes, throwing everything into chaos. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Green Lantern 198, Firestorm 45, Vigilante 27, Warlord 103”